The Natchez Democrat
August 19, 2026
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| Neddie Winters, former president of Mission Mississippi, will serve as keynote speaker at the marker dedication ceremony honoring George Metcalfe on Thursday, August 27, in Natchez. (Click on image to enlarge.) |
NATCHEZ — The Rev. Neddie Winters, former president of
Mission Mississippi, Jackson, will serve as the keynote speaker for the
dedication of a state historical marker honoring the late George Metcalfe. The
ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 27, at the intersection of
Kelly Avenue, Brenham Avenue, and South Concord Avenue, on the west side of the
former Armstrong Tire & Rubber Company.
The event is hosted by the City of Natchez and Visit
Natchez. It is free and open to the public.
Metcalfe was the president of the Natchez NAACP when his
car was bombed by the Ku Klux Klan on Aug. 27, 1965, in the triangle area near
the plant. That single act of violence became a pivotal moment in the Civil
Rights Movement in Natchez, galvanizing the Black community and helping spur a
sustained campaign for voting rights and desegregation.
Metcalfe was targeted by the Klan because of his
leadership in the Black community and his courageous civil rights activities.
He successfully led a voter-registration drive that resulted in more than 8,000
African Americans registering to vote.
He and the NAACP called on the Natchez city
administration to denounce white supremacist groups like the Klan and to end
police brutality. They also urged the city to hire Black employees and to
desegregate swimming pools, parks, and other public facilities. Metcalfe also
led a delegation which confronted the school board with a signed petition
calling for the desegregation of the public school system.
Winters said he is honored to participate in the Aug. 27
program and to speak about the legacy of Metcalfe.
A native of Tunica, Winters is a nationally recognized
leader in racial reconciliation and healing.
“He is known for his passionate advocacy for building
beloved communities through dialogue, understanding, and shared action,” said
Dr. Felicia M. Bowens, executive assistant to the president of Mission
Mississippi. “Under his leadership, Mission Mississippi became a statewide
catalyst for conversations and collaborations that bridge racial divides.”
She noted Winters has dedicated his life to fostering
oneness across racial, cultural, political, and denominational lines.
Winters served for many years as president of Mission
Mississippi, a pioneering organization committed to racial reconciliation
through Christian relationships and community engagement.
In addition to his public speaking and leadership,
Winters serves as an adjunct professor at Belhaven University, where he teaches
“The History, Theology, and Practice of Christian Reconciliation.”
Winters is a graduate of Alcorn State University, where
he earned his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture. He holds a master’s degree in
public finance management from American University’s Kogod School of Business.
In addition to Winters, the ceremony will feature remarks
by Mayor Dan Gibson and Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis, president of the Natchez NAACP.
Other participants will include Dr. Roscoe Barnes III,
cultural heritage tourism manager for Visit Natchez, who will serve as master
of ceremonies and introduce the keynote speaker.
The invocation will be given by the Rev. Dr. Chase
Caldwell, associate pastor of First Presbyterian Natchez, and the benediction
will be given by the Rev. Clifton Marvel Sr., pastor of Greater Macedonia
Baptist Church
Historical reflections will be shared by Alderman Billy
Joe Frazier; local historian Jeremy Houston; Frances Bailey and Paul Bacon,
eyewitnesses to bombing; Denise Jackson Ford, daughter of Wharlest Jackson Sr.,
and Wharlest Jackson Jr., his son.
Thelma Newsome, representative of the Dr. John Bowman Banks Museum, will read a letter presented by Alderwoman Felicia Bridgewater-Irving. Bobby Dennis, director of Natchez Museum of African American History and Culture, will give the closing remarks.
For more information, call 601-492-3004.
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